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Lavallette

Barely two miles separates Lavallette from Seaside Heights, but it’s far, far away from Snooki-land. Nor is it full of the palaces you see in the expensive towns of upper Long Beach Island, just to the south. Instead, it’s a sane, manageable, low-key alternative for families seeking shore time. According to data furnished by vacation-rental site HomeAway, Lavallette is seeing spikes in both rental inventory and search traffic. The taxes are low for the area, too, which helps keep rents down. Broker Andrea Schlosser of Schlosser Real Estate says business here is up 12 percent, with prices remaining at last year’s levels, but the window of opportunity may be closing: Larger homes (more than four bedrooms) on beach blocks, she says, “are pretty booked.”

A two-bedroom, two-bath condominium. Cost: June–August: $1,600Pluses: Central air and updated interiors, a block off the beach. Minuses: It’s an apartment, not a house, so no patio or deck for barbecuing.Agent: Katherine Cerbone, Crossroads Realty; listing No. 6808.

A Perfect Day

Grab a breakfast of eggs with a side of fruit at Meg’s Grill, then walk the mile and a quarter around West Point Island (you may run into local boy Joe Pesci). On your return trip, you’ll pass the local library, so stock up on your vacation reading. Then it’s off to the beach, either on the bay or the ocean, where you can lose hours bodysurfing, sunning, and swimming. There’s no food allowed at the beach, so get dressed and stop at Subprimo for a sub. For dinner, head to Crab’s Claw, which hosts amateur sing-offs on Wednesdays. If you’re up for more singing, grab a cone at the Music Man, a “singing ice cream shoppe” where scoops are served with a sprinkling of cabaret.